Mt. Rainier...oh my gosh!! How do I describe it? There is only one word-- "breathtaking!" It's simply breathtaking! Dan and I had such a fabulous day today. We got up at a decent hour and had breakfast at the hotel. Eggs Benedict for me; ham and cheese omelet for Dan. Then we set off for the hour plus drive to Mt. Rainier.
Once we got there we spent about three or four hours taking in the landscape of this misty, cloud-filled beauty! We drove a little, stopped a little, hiked a little and snapped endless photos. Every square inch of this National Park is awesome. 
From the majestic Douglass Firs, the air- filled mist, and non-stop waterfalls...to the moss, the rocks, the streams and the snow-capped peaks.
We even saw an elk quietly grazing by the roadside. We passed her by with a glance, but turned the car around to go back for a better look. She wasn't the least bit worried about us. In fact, she seemed just as curious about Dan and me as we were about her. Double click on this photo to see her a little more closely.
Our destination was Paradise Pass. But in reality paradise was found the moment we were greeted by the park ranger at the entrance to the park. We snaked our way up the mountainside...stopping at overlook upon overlook.
Once we finally made it to the visitor's center, the mist was so thick we couldn't see much of the local scenery. But the snow was banked up around the building...in striated layers at least ten feet high. And the temperature...b-r-r-r-r-g-h !
We even saw an elk quietly grazing by the roadside. We passed her by with a glance, but turned the car around to go back for a better look. She wasn't the least bit worried about us. In fact, she seemed just as curious about Dan and me as we were about her. Double click on this photo to see her a little more closely.Our destination was Paradise Pass. But in reality paradise was found the moment we were greeted by the park ranger at the entrance to the park. We snaked our way up the mountainside...stopping at overlook upon overlook.
Once we finally made it to the visitor's center, the mist was so thick we couldn't see much of the local scenery. But the snow was banked up around the building...in striated layers at least ten feet high. And the temperature...b-r-r-r-r-g-h !
It's hard to believe this is June. It was easily in the high forties today. Warm enough NOT to snow, but cold enough that it sure felt like it could! With the persistent cloud cover we never did get a glimpse of the very peak of the mountain. But no matter...the drive just getting there was spectacular!
The displays at the visitor's center showed photos of Mt. Rainier from the early 1900's when the mountain was a draw for folks vacationing via some of the first automobiles. Those old photos were really something. One showed a line of those old open-topped cars precariously traversing the side of the mountain. Can you imagine?
The displays at the visitor's center showed photos of Mt. Rainier from the early 1900's when the mountain was a draw for folks vacationing via some of the first automobiles. Those old photos were really something. One showed a line of those old open-topped cars precariously traversing the side of the mountain. Can you imagine? There were no guard rails back then, nor pavin
g, and the roads were only one lane wide. I'm not sure I could have stomached sight-seeing the mountain under those conditions. It was treacherous. The displays also reminded us that Mt. Rainier is a volcano...and a dangerous one. There hasn't been an eruption in more than a century, but that just means it's about time. The question is not "IF" it erupts, but more like "WHEN" it erupts. The devastation from a major eruption could reach as far as 40 miles from the center. Yeah, Dan and I shivered a little about that one...
Toward evening we started back to the hotel. We faced another long drive and we were getting hungry and tired. The day had flown by and we had not even given lunch a thought. By the time we realized it, we were both starving! So...we were in a hurry to eat. We finally reached the hotel about 6:30 and walked over to the Outback.
g, and the roads were only one lane wide. I'm not sure I could have stomached sight-seeing the mountain under those conditions. It was treacherous. The displays also reminded us that Mt. Rainier is a volcano...and a dangerous one. There hasn't been an eruption in more than a century, but that just means it's about time. The question is not "IF" it erupts, but more like "WHEN" it erupts. The devastation from a major eruption could reach as far as 40 miles from the center. Yeah, Dan and I shivered a little about that one...
Toward evening we started back to the hotel. We faced another long drive and we were getting hungry and tired. The day had flown by and we had not even given lunch a thought. By the time we realized it, we were both starving! So...we were in a hurry to eat. We finally reached the hotel about 6:30 and walked over to the Outback.All we wanted after a long day of driving and hiking, was fast service and a juicy steak. Well and for me...a Marguerita! We 
ate dinner and we talked and talked. Surprisingly after two days together, Dan and I hadn't run out of things to say to each other. After dinner we walked over to the mall. I needed to get some stockings for work and Dan picked up a pair of hiking shoes. I also grabbed a pair of heels and laughed when I discovered the name on the side of the shoebox: Lucy. Dan and I both got a kick out of that one.
Now we are back at the hotel. Dan is on the phone talking with a friend from LA and here I am blogging again. So let me repeat what I've said here before--Life is Good!
ate dinner and we talked and talked. Surprisingly after two days together, Dan and I hadn't run out of things to say to each other. After dinner we walked over to the mall. I needed to get some stockings for work and Dan picked up a pair of hiking shoes. I also grabbed a pair of heels and laughed when I discovered the name on the side of the shoebox: Lucy. Dan and I both got a kick out of that one.
Now we are back at the hotel. Dan is on the phone talking with a friend from LA and here I am blogging again. So let me repeat what I've said here before--Life is Good!
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